Spring bed-bottom or mattress.



Patented Dec. l7, I901.

F. S. SPRAGUE.

SPRING BED BOTTOM 0R MATTRESS.

(Application filed June 29, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT- @FFICE.

FRANK S. SPRAGUE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRING BED-BOTTOM 0 MATTRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,240, dated December 17, 1901.

Application filed June 29, 1901.

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, FRANK S. SPRAGUE, a citizen of the United States, residing at and whose post-oifice address is No. 95 Beverly street, Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring Bed-Bottoms or Mattresses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in spring bed bottoms or mattresses; and its primary object is to provide a device of this character having novel devicesfor adjusting the tension of the springs without the necessity of employing tools.

A further object is to so construct the frame of the bed-bottom as to permit the same to be readily folded when desired.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,which will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the mattress, showing the locking-sleeves in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the folded mattress. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the adjacent ends of one side of the frame and through the sleeve, and Fig. 4. is a detail view of said ends folded upon each other.

Referring now to the drawings by referencenumerals, 1 1 are similar sections, which when put together form the. frame of the mattress. These sectionsare formed of tubing, and in the ends of one section is fitted a plug 2, having an annular flange 3, which serves to limit its inward movement. This plug is provided with a threaded; passage, which receives a screw 4, the head 5 of which is swiveled in a cylindrical block 6. ing sections 1 of the frame are closed, as shown at 7, Fig. 3, and are slotted, as at 8. A link 9 is loosely mounted in each slot and engages the adjacent block 6.

Sleeves 10 are slidably mounted on the sides of the mattress-frame and are adapted when extending over the ends of the two sections 1 to hold said frame rigidly in extended position. A bolt 11 passes through this sleeve and through the screw 4, and it is obvious that The ends of the remain- Serial No. 66,596. (No model.)

when the sleeve is turned the screw will be revolved therewith, thereby moving the ends of the sections 1 1 from or toward each other. Lugs 12 are arranged on one section 1 near its ends and serve to limit the movement of the sleeves 10 in one direction. Set-screws13 are employed on the sleeves 10 and are adapted to lock the sleeves in the positions to which they are moved.

A spring-metal fabric 14 is secured to the ends of the mattress-frame, and when it is'desired to tighten the same it is only necessary to turn the sleeves l0 manually. This will turn screws 4 and force the sections 1 from each other. The screws 13 are set against the sections 1, and the mattress is then ready for use.

If for any reason it is desirable to fold the mattress, the screws 13 are loosened and the sleeves l0 and screws 4 are revolved, so as to slack the fabric 14. The bolts 11 are then removed and the sleeves slid off of one of the sections 1. The links 9 serve as hinges, and the frame can thus be readily folded. The lugs 12 are so located that when the sleeves 10 abut thereagainst the bolts 11 inserted in said sleeves will pass directly into the apertures in the screws 4.

It will be seen that the device is extremely simple and durable and that it can be tensioned or folded without the use of any tools. In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but Ido not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the rightto make all such changes as fairly fallwithin the scope of my invention. Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described the combination with frame-sections of a swiveled screw hinged to one section and adapted to engage the remaining section, a sleeve mounted upon the sections, and means for securing the screw and sleeve together.

2. In a device of the character described the a slidable and revoluble sleeve-mounted on tion between the blocks and the ends of the the sections, detachable means for rigidly seremaining section, and means for adjusting curing the sleeve to the screw, a set-screw for said blocks from and toward said remaining locking the sleeve in adjusted position, and section.

5 means for limiting the longitudinal move- In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 ment of the sleeve. in presence of two witnesses.

3. In a folding mattress, the combination FRANK S. SPRAGUE. with frame-sections; of blocks between said Witnesses: sections, link connections between the blocks ARTHUR E. JEsLI'N,

1c and the ends of one section, a rigid connec: CLARENCE D. FUss. 

